Pneumatic coupler for organs.



110.802,333. PATENTBD 001117, 1905.

J. SLAWIK. PNEUMATIG GOUPLER FOR ORGANS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 18,1900.

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No. 802,333. PATENTED OCT. 17, 1905.

J. SLAWIK. I

PLW'JUMATIC GOUPLER POR ORGANS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 18,1900.

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VVITNESSES. INVEN'TOF l Jose/1772 Szazwf' CD] WQQHIM) EJMMZr/Z manzwA u.mmm.: ca. PnnraAumomwums. wAswNGTuu u n vst JOSEPI-I SLAVVIK, OFPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

PNEUMATIC COUPLER FOR ORGANS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented oct. 17, 1905.

Application filed July 18,1900. Serial No. 24,058.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH SLAwrK, a citi- Zen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPneumatic Couplers for Organs, of which the following is aspecification.

Thisinvention relates toapneumatie coupler for organs of that classwherein a plurality of keys or keyboards are coupled to their respectivesound devices and to each other, wherebythe playing of a key or keys ofone of the keyboards bythe proper operation of the coupling mechanismcauses a sounding' of one or more of the sets of sounding devicessimultaneously.

The object of the invention is to provide a coupling of this characterin which the eX- pense of manufacture shall be reduced to a minimum andwhich shall be instantaneous in action, thereby insuring full quality oftone simultaneously with the depression of a key.

The invention consists in the particular combinations of parts shown inthe drawings, described in the specification, and. more particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a sectional elevation of apneumatic coupler and 'its immediate connections constructed andarranged in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a rear elevationofthe coupler, showing in dotted lines the passage-ways and in adiagrammatic manner the connection between the several passage-ways andthe pallet-rail. Eig. 3 is a top plan view of a portion of thepallet-rail. Fig. -L is a bottom plan view of the same, and Fig. 5 is atransverse section of one of the sections of the intermediate coupler.

In carrying my invention into effect I employ two chests,which Idesignate the greataction chest l and the swell-action chest 2, whichcontrol the passage of air through the sounding devices 3 and 4,respectively. The said action l is under control of the lower keyboard,which actuates the great pallets 5, arranged along the great-pallet rail6. 'Ihe swell-action is controlled by the upper keyboard, which actuatesthe swell-pallets 7, arranged along the swell-pallet rail 8. Theseactions are always open as far as the ordinary organ-sound effect isconcerned.

Both of the actions 1 and 2 are constructed alike. Consequently adescription of one action will sufhce for both. Each action is prolvided with a wind-chest 9, into which open the seats of the soundingdevices 3 and 4. The seat is formed by projecting the metallic end ofthe sounding device into the wind-.chest and securing thereon an annularboss l0, preferably of wood. The boss forms a seat against which adiaphragm-valve ll normally rests, and by the movement of said valveagainst and from said seat the air is cut off or allowed to pass throughthe sounding devices, it being understood that each sounding device hasa corresponding key on the keyboard, which controls its sounding devicethrfough the medium of its respective pallet 5 or t.

The means for manipulating the valve ll is as follows: Arranged beloweach diaphragmvalve is an opening 12, which leads into anexhaust-passage 13, having two valve-seats 14 and 15, of which thelatter connect-s with the outer atmosphere and the former with thewind-chest 16, located above it. Arranged centrally of the valve-seatsle and l5 is a vertically-moving valve-stem I7, upon which and betweenthe valve-seats are secured two valves I8 and I9, adapted to bealternately seated on the seats 1A and 15, respectively-that is, whenthe valve I9 is resting on its seat the valve 18 is away from its seat,so that air from the wind-chest I6 can pass through the passage 13 andthrough the opening l2 to press against the under side of eachdiaphragm-valve l1 to hold it to its seat and to prevent the passage ofair from the chest 9 to the sounding device 3 or A. Then the valve 18 isseated against its seat 14C, the valve I9 is away from the seat l5 andthe flow of air from the chest 16 is cut off, air from the passage 13passing beneath the valve 19 and through the seat l5 to the atmosphere.The pressure of air in the chest 9 is now suiiicient to force thediaphragm-valve ll downward and to allow the air to pass through thesounding devices.

The means for moving the valve-stem 17 are as follows: Arranged upon thevalve-stem is a diaphragm 20, which separates the windchest I6 from aseries of ducts or passageways 21, one for each sounding device, eachduct 2l of the great-action chest 1 being connected by pipes 22 and 23with the greatpallet rail 6 and each duct 21 of the swellaction chest 2being connected by pipes 24C and 25 with the swell-pallet rail 8, saidpipes being attached at an intermediate point to the coupler chest 26.Consequently as the pallet corresponding to a particular note in eitherIOO IIO

action is raised the air is allowed to escape from the correspondinglduct 21, and the pressure of air in the chest 16 will raise thediaphragm 20. When the pallet is lowered and the escape of air isprevented, the pressure of air in the passage-way 21 will equal that inthe wind-chest 16 and the diaphragm 2O will fall and seat the oppositevalve 19, pressure beingrestablished in the channel 21 at the diaphragm2O by means of the passage or channel 21 Screwing' through the casing ofthe great and swell action cylinders are screwvalves 22*L and 24, whichregulate the size of the passage 21, leading to the conduits 22 and 24,thus regulating the passage of air therethrough.

The intermediate coupler-chest comprises a casing built up ot' aplurality ot' sections secured together by bolts 27, springs 28 beinginterposed between the nuts 29 upon the bolts and the side of thecoupler-section adjacent thereto, so as to compensate for the shrinkag'eor swell ot' the material composing the sections. l/Vhile I have shown acoupler having seven sections, it will be apparent that I may employmore or less sections, as desired, to increase or diminish the harmoniceifcct.

The coupler-chest 26 is provided with a number ot' sets of transversepassages, the passages of each set being disposed one above another andthe sets of passages being located side by side throughout the lengthot' the chest. These various passages are numbered, respectively, from30 to 49 and are connected in the manner described hereinafter.

The great-pallet rail 6 has in the present instance five openings 53 foreach pallet 5, although more or less than this number may be used,dependent upon the extent of the coupler-chest. For convenience I havedesignated these openings by the reference-letters a, I), c, CZ, and e.The opening a is connected by a pipe 23 to the transverse passage 3()ot' the coupler-chest, and each of the openings c, tl, and a isconnected by a pipe 52 to one of the other transverse passages ot' saidcoupler-chest. Thus the opening is connected to the transverse passage36, thel opening@ to the transverse passage 38, the opening l to atransverse passage 40, corresponding with a higher or lower octave, andthe opening e with a transverse passage 42, corresponding' with a higheror lower octave. In like manner the openings of the adjoiningpallet-rail are connected to the passages 31, 37, 39, 41, and 43. Thepassage 30 is connected by a pipe 22 to the air-duct 21 of theg'reat-action chest 1, and the passage 31 is likewise connected by apipe 22 with a corresponding and adjoining' duct 21 oi' saidgreat-action chest, and in like manner the passages 32 and 33 areconnected by the pipes 24 with ducts 21 of the swell-action chest 2. Avertical passage 50 connects the transverse passages 30 and 36, and asimilar vertical passage 50 connects the transverse passages 31 and 37.(See dotted lines, Fig. 2.) A vertical passage 51 connects thetransverse passages 32, 38, 40, 42, 34, 44, and 47, and a similarpassage 51 connects the transverse passages 33, 39, 41, 43, 35, 45, and46. Each passage 50 is connected by a pipe 54 either with thetral'isverse passage 48 or the passage 49. Pipes 25 serve to connect thepassages 34 and 35, respectively, with the adjoining openings (t of theswell-pallet rail 8, and the passages 44 and 45 are connected,respectively, by pipes 44l and 45 with adjoining openings oi: saidswellpallet rail.

Flow through any one ot' the passages 36 to 49, inclusive, is controlledby a valve 55, contained in a chamber 56, to which air under pressure isadmitted or from which air can be exhausted through a pipe 57 undercontrol o1" a suitable stop on the organ. Each ot' said passages 36 to49, inclusive, has its continuity interrupted by a bridge 59, on eachside oi which is formed a passage 58, and the ends of these passages canbe closed or opened by the valve 55, depending' upon whether there is oris not a pressure of air within the chamber 56, the valve beingflexible, so that the airpressure will close it against the ends ot' theopenings 58, while in the absence of pressure it can open, and thuspermit flow of air from one passage 58 to the other over the end ol. thebridge 59.

The passages 46, 47, 48, and 49 are connected, respectively, by meansol' pipes 46*L to 49, to the pedal-swell. Thus the openingl /1 ot' thegreat-pallet rail 6 is connected to the pedalswell through the medium ofthe pipe 23, passages 30 and 50, pipe 54, passage 49, and pipe 49, theadjoining opening being connected to the pedal-swell by the pipe 23,passages 31 and 50, pipe 54, passage 48, and pipe 482. The opening b ofthe swell-pallet rail is connected to the pedal-swell by the pipe 44",passages 44 and 51, passage 47, and pipe 47, and the adjoining'openingoi' said pallet-rail is connected to the pedal-swell by means ol thepipe 45, passages 45 and 51, passage 46, and pipe 46L.

Then a pallet 5 ot' the great-pallet rail 6 is lifted, a corresponding'note of the great-action chest is sounded, the opening t of saidpallet-rail providing' for the escape of air from the duct 21 throughpipe 22, passage 30, and pipe 23. It' con'imunication through thepassage 36 is permitted, such lifting ot' the pallet 5 will also permitadditional escape through said passage. It the passage 49 is open, therewill be a connection with the pedal-swell. If the ilow through thepassage 38 is open, the great-pallet rail will be connected to theswell-action by the opening' c, pipe 52, passages 38 and 51, and pipe24, and in like manner the lifting of said pallet will connect thegreat-pallet rail with other sound ing devices higher or lower throughthe me- IOO ICS

dium of the openings l and e if the correspending passages 40 and 42 areopen. The lifting of the swell-pallet 7 will render operative a soundingdevice of the swell-action and if the flow through the passages 44: and47 is open will at the same time connect said swell-pallet rail with thepedal-swell by reason of the connections between the opening?) and thepipe 4:7, and the description with reference to the operation of onepallet applies to all.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patentv l. In a pneumatic coupler for organs, the combination ofa plurality of sounding devices, a pallet-raill having a plurality ofopenings simultaneously opened or closed by the movement of the pallet,and an interposed couplingchest having a plurality of passages, Valvesand connections, whereby it provides a normally open communicationbetween one of the sounding devices and one of the openings of thepallet-rail, and Valved communication between one or more of the othersounding devices and one or more of the other openings of thepallet-rail, said coupling-chest comprising a single structure composedof a series of superposed blocks, and bolts serving to secure togetherthe blocks of the series, substantially as specified.

2. In a pneumatic coupler for organs, the combination of a plurality ofsounding devices, a pallet-rail having a plurality of openingssimultaneously opened or closed by the movement of the pallet, and aninterposed coupling chest having a plurality of passages, valves andconnections, whereby it provides a normally open communication betweenone of the sounding devices and one of the openings of the pallet-rail,and valved communication between one or more of the other soundingdevices and one ormore of the other openings of the pallet-rail, saidcoupling-chest comprising a structure composed of a series of superposedblocks and bolts securing together the blocks of the series, said boltsand blocks being combined with elastic means whereby expansion andcontraction ofthe blocks is permitted without loosening the jointsbetween the same, substantially as specified.

3. The combination of the sound-chest and a sounding device having apipe projecting into the chest, a ring surrounding the projecting mouthof said pipe, and a diaphragm-valve in the chest so disposed as to seatitself simultaneously upon the end of the pipe and upon the ringsurrounding the same, substantially as specified.

4. In a pneumatic coupler for organs, the combination of a sound-chest,a pallet-rail having a plurality of openings simultaneously opened orclosed by the movement of the pallet, a coupling-chest having a seriesof passages and connections between said passages and the pallet-railand sound-chest, said coupling-chest being composed of a series ofsuperposed sections with vertical securing bolts and nuts, and springsinterposed between said nuts and the coupling-chest so as to permitexpansion and contraction of the latter, substantially as specified.

5. In a pneumatic self-playing musical instrument, an air-chest composedof separable parts joined together for forming an air chamber or passageand a clamping device for drawing said parts together, said clampingdevice including yielding means to compensate for any shrinkage orexpansion of the parts and prevent opening of the joints between saidparts.

6. In a pneumatic self-playing musical instrument, a plurality ofseparable valveshelves containing air-passages and means for clampingsaid shelves together including one or more springs connected andoperating to force the shelves together to allow the parts of saidshelves to expand and contract and to prevent opening at the joints.

In testimony whereof I hereby affix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

JOSEPH SLAWIK.

